Can filler



Aug. 26, 1958 w. A. BARRETT 2,849,034

CAN FILLER 3 Sheets-Sheet 1 Filed April 28, 1955 WALTER A. BARRETT IN V EN TOR.

BYM/

I ATTORNEY Aug.. 26, 1958 w. A. BARRETT CAN FILLER Filed April 28, 1955 3 Sheets-Sheet 2 WALTER A. BARRETT INVENTOR- BYMMW ATTORNEY Aug. 26, 1958 CAN FILLER Filed April 28, 1955 W. A. BARRETT 5 Sheets-Sheet 5 HTTORNEY CAN FILLER Walter A. Barrett, Fort Wayne, Ind., assignor to Fort Wayne Dairy Equipment Company, Fort Wayne, Ind, a corporation of Indiana Application April 28, 1955, Serial No. 504,495 16 Claims. (Cl. 141-270) This invention relates to a can filler. More specifically it relates to a device for completely filling cans with fluids which foam readily, such as milk, ice cream mixes and the like.

It is an object of the invention to provide a device which will substantially completely fill a can with a fluid which is subject to foaming.

it is another object to provide means for filling a can through a top opening but for discharging fluid into the can adjacent the bottom thereof.

A further object of the invention is to provide power means for moving both the can and the filling spout to and from filling position.

Yet another object of the invention is to provide pneumatic means for moving the can and spout.

It is still another object of the invention to provide a valve mechanism which is actuated by the power means to control the flow of fluid to the can.

These and other objects will become apparent from a study of this specification and the drawings which are attached hereto, made a part hereof and in which:

Figure l is a side elevation of the can filler showing, in dashed lines, the plaform and spout in their can filling positions.

Figure 2 is a front elevation of the device showing the pneumatic controls.

Figure 3 is a sectional view taken substantially on the line 3-3 of Figure 2 showing the filling spout, valves and seal.

Figure 4 is a top elevation of the valve interlock mechanism in the normal condition.

Figure 5 is a side elevation of the device of Figure 4.

Figure 6 is a View similar to Figure 5 but showing the mechanism in the latched condition.

Figure 7 is a sectional view of the interlock mechanism taken substantially on line 7-7 of Figure 6.

Figure 8 is a sectional view of the interlock mechanism taken substantially on line 8-8 of Figure 6.

Referring specifically to Figures 1 and 2, the numeral 1 indicates an elongated base member of any suitable construction. Two columns 3 are fixed to and extend upwardly from the central side portions of the base while atent a single column 4 is fixed to and extends upwardly from the central rear portion of the base. The columns are substantially parallel and of the same length and are tied together at their upper ends by three spanning members 5 and by a band 7 which encircles the members and, with them, forms a support for the supply tank 9 which is fixed to the band.

The tank is provided with a removable cover 11 through which extends one end of a vent 13 which is more fully described below.

Two brackets 15 are fixed to the columns 3 and extend forwardly and substantially parallel. Their free ends have fixed to them a bar 17 and also have fixed to their upper edges a base plate 19.

Referring to Figure 3, it will be seen that a valve body 21, which is preferably a casting, is suitably fixed to the base plate 19. The body has an inlet port 23 and connection 24 which is connected by a fitting 25 to the bottom of tank 9; an outlet chamber 27 which discharges vertically downwardly into the can; a vent port 29 to which the lower end of vent tube 13 is fitted and an gpwardly open sleeve 31 which receives a valve cylin- A ring nut 35 is threadedly mounted on the exterior of the chamber 27 and serves to adjustably support a drip plate 37 and the sealing ring or gasket 39 which are frictionally mounted on the exterior of the chamber.

Slidably mounted in the cylinder 33 is the cylindrical discharge tube and valve 41 which extends through the chamber 27 and has fixed to its lower end a valve 43 which has a reduced portion 45 which enters the chamber and carries an O-ring 47 to seal the end of the chamber.

The tube 41 is provided with a lateral discharge port 49 disposed above the valve 43 and with a lateral inlet port 51 at its upper end.

The cylinder 33 is provided with a cap 53 at its upper end. The cap has a guide opening and seal 55 through which the piston rod 57 is passed. The lower end of the rod is fixed to a plug 59 which is screwed into the upper end of the fill tube 41. Four radial wrench holes 63 are provided in the fill tube just under the level of plug 59.

As it is shown particularly in Figures 1 and 2, a double acting pneumatic reciprocating motor 65 is also mounted on the base plate 19 so that its axis is substantially parallel with those of cylinder 33, tube 41 and rod 57. The piston rod 67 of this motor is connected with the rod 57 by a suitable cross-head 69. The motor is preferably covered With a shroud 71 as shown in Figure 2.

Referring now to Figures 1 and 2, a second pneumatic, double acting reciprocating motor 73 is suitably mounted in vertical position in the base 1.

A platform 75 is mounted on the free end of the piston rod 77 of this motor. A V-block 79 is mounted on the platform for centering the can coaxially with the gasket 39 and a guide 81 is attached to the platform and extends down through a guide opening 83 in the base to prevent rotation of the platform and piston rod.

As shown in Figure 2, air under pressure is supplied to pipe 85, passes through a filter 87, a pressure reducing valve 89, a second filter 91, and thence by pipe 93 to the control valve 95. From this valve the lines 97, 99 lead to the lower and upper ends respectively of the double acting motor 73.

Similarly a pipe 101 connects the filter 91 with the control valve 103 from which pipes 105 and 107 run re spectively to the bottom and top ends of the motor 65.

In order to prevent the motor 73 from being operated to lower the can before the motor 65 has been energized to raise the fill tube 41 and to prevent the motor 65 from being actuated to lower the fill tube before the motor 73 has been energized to raise the can, the valve interlocking mechanism shown in Figures 2, 3 and 4 to 8 inclusive is provided.

The valve has connected to it 'by means of a clevis 111 to a rod 113 which is slidably mounted in guide holes 115 in pillow blocks 117 and 119 which are fixed to the base plate 19.

The valve 103 is similarly connected by a clevis 121 to a rod 123 which is slidably mounted in guide holes 115 in the blocks 117, 119.

The rod 113 is provided with a transverse notch 125. The block 117 is provided with a notch 127 in which is mounted, on a pivot pin 129, a latch lever 131. The lever has a dog 133 on one end for engaging notch 125 and a bent down tail 135 at the other. As shown in Figure 5, both the dog and'the tail lie on the rod 113 when the dog is out of the notch.

The dog has its upper end rounded as shown at 137.

A-stop 139 is'fixed to the rod 123 and slides along the bottom of rod 113. The stop has a notch 141 formed in one side above the rod 113 and the top edge 143 of the notch is so spaced from the lower edge 145 that when the dog 137 rests on the rod 113 and the edge 145 rests on the bottom of the rod 113, the edge 143 will ride on the rounded portion 137 of the dog and the block will be prevented from moving to the Figure 6 position. The rod 123 and valve 121 cannot therefore be moved. However, if the valve 95 has been actuated, the rod 113 will have been'moved to position the notch 125 to receive the dog 133. Upon subsequent actuation of valve 103, the rod 123 and stop 139 will be moved so that the edge 143 of stop 139 will cam the dog into the notch and pass over the lever so that the valve 103 may be fully actuated.

It will also be seen from Figure 6 that the stop 139 overlies the lever 131 when the valve 103 has been actuated and the valve 95 cannot be operated in a reverse direction becausethe rod 113 is held latched. Thus the valve 103 must first be returned to the initial position. As the stop clears the dog, the weight of the tail will retract the dog from the notch and valve 95 may then be returned to its initial position.

Operation Assuming that the parts are in the position shown in full lines in Figure 1, the operator will place an empty.

can on the platform and center it thereon against the V-block 79. Next he will adjust valve 95 so as to admit air under pressure to the lower end of motor 73 and to vent the upper end thereof so that the motor will raise the platform and can until the mouth of the can is pressed into sealing contact with the seal 39 and is held in this condition. He cannot operate valve 103'first because the stop 139 is blocked by dog 133. However, since valve 95 has now been fully actuated the dog 133 is positioned above the notch 125.

He can now operate the valve 103 so as to vent the lower end of motor 65 to atmosphere and apply air under pressure to the upper end of this motor. The motion of the piston rod 67 is transmitted through 69 and 57 to the fill tube 41 and valve43. As the tube is lowered, the valve 43 is opened and the discharge port 49 is moved to a point near the bottom of the can as shown in dashed lines in Figure 1.

As the inlet port 51 comes into registration with the inlet port 23, liquid will flow from tank 9 through connection 25, 24, ports 23 and 51, fill tube 41 and port 49 into the can.

Since the liquid is discharged adjacent the bottom of the can, agitation, aeration, and, consequently, foaming of the liquid are minimized at the start of filling and prevented as the liquid rises and covers the port 49. This insures that the can is filled completely.

Air leaves the can through the vent 13 and flows back to the tank 9 asthe can fills.

When the can has been filled, the operatorwill actuate the control valve 103 to connect the upper end of motor 65 to atmosphere and the lower end thereof to the compressed air. He cannot operate valve 95 first because it is latched by the dog 133. The motor raises the fill tube first closing theport 23 and lastly the valve 43. As

the tube is raised, the liquid level in the can would drop were it not for the fact that liquid will run from the chamber 27 and the vent tube into the can to compensate for the volume occupied by the tubeand associated submerged parts. Thus the can is always filled full.

When the fill tube has been fully withdrawn, the operator will actuate valve 95, which has been freed by the actuation of valve 103, to supply air to the top end of the motor 73 and to vent the lower end to atmosphere. The platform and can will be moved to their lowermost positions so that the filled can can be removed. The rate of descent of the platform as well as the rate of ascent can be controlled by the. manipulation of the valve so as to prevent spillage.

While I have set forth a specific embodiment of my invention for purposes of illustration, it is obvious that various changes and alterations can be made therein without departing from the spirit of the invention. I do not, therefore, wish to be limited to the specific form of the invention disclosed but desire protection falling fairly within the scope of the appended claims.

What I claim to be new and desire to protect by Letters Patent of the United States is:

1. A can filler comprising a base, a can supporting platform, means mounting said platform on said base for vertical reciprocating motion, pneumatic motor means for reciprocating said platform, a fill tube, means mounting said tube for vertical reciprocating motion and pneumatic motor means for reciprocating said tube, a liquid container, means connecting said container for supplying liquid to said tube and means controlled by the tube, as it reciprocates, for starting and stopping the flow of liquid through the tube.

2. A can filler comprising a base, a can supporting platform, means mounting said platform on said base for vertical reciprocating motion, a reciprocating motor and manual control means for reciprocating said platform, a fill tube, means mounting said tube for vertical reciprocating motion, a reciprocating motor and manual control means for reciprocating said tube, a liquid container, means connecting said container for supplying liquid to said tube, means operable in timed relation with the reciprocating tube for starting and stopping the flow of liquid through the tube.

3. A can filler comprising a base, a can supporting platform, means mounting said platform on said base for vertical reciprocating motion, means for reciprocating said platform, a fill tube, means mounting said tube for vertical reciprocating motion, means for reciprocating said tube, said tube having a discharge orifice adjacent its lower end, a liquid container, means defining a discharge port for said container for supplying liquid to said tube, means defining a valve port adjacent the top of the tube cooperable with said discharge port means for starting and stopping the flow of liquid from the container to the tube.

4. A fill tube mechanism for a can filler, said mechanism comprising means defining a chamber, a can mouth seal mounted on and exteriorly of said means, a fill tube mounted on said means for vertical reciprocation through said chamber, a motor and controls therefore connected to reciprocate said tube, and a valve mounted on the lower end of said tube for closing said chamber when the tube is raised.

5. A fill mechanism for a can filler, said mechanism comprising supply container having a bottom discharge port, means defining a chamber having a bottom opening, a guide cylinder communicating with said chamber and discharge port, a fill tube mounted in and guided by said cylinder for reciprocation through said chamber between upper and lower positions, laterally opening upper and lower ports forms in the tube adjacent to opposite ends thereof, said upper port being disposed for alignment with said discharge port when said tube occupies its lower position, whereby liquid will flow from said container,

through said upper port, tube, and lower 'port when said tube occupies its lower position.

6. A fill mechanism for a can filler, said mechanism comprising supply container having a bottom discharge port, means defining a chamber having a bottom opening, a guide cylinder communicating with said chamber and discharge port, a fill tube mounted in and guided by said cylinder for reciprocation through said chamber between upper and lower positions, laterally opening upper and lower ports formed in the tube and adjacent opposite ends thereof, said upper port being disposed for alignment with said discharge port when said tube occupies its lower position, whereby liquid will flow from said container, through said upper port, tube and lower port when said tube occupies its lower position, a valve mounted on the lower end of said tube and disposed to close the chamber bottom opening when said tube occupies its upper position.

7. A fill mechanism for .a can filler, said mechanism comprising supply container having a bottom discharge port, means defining a chamber having a bottom opening, a guide cylinder mounted on said means and communicating with said chamber and discharge port, a fill tube mounted in and guided by said cylinder for reciprocation through said chamber between upper and lower positions, laterally opening upper and lower ports formed in the tube adjacent opposite ends thereof, said upper port being disposed for alignment with said discharge port when said tube occupies its lower position, whereby liquid will flow from said container, through said upper port, tube, and lower port when said tube occupies its lower position, and motor means connected to reciprocate said tube.

8. A fill mechanism for a can filler, said mechanism comprising supply container having a bottom discharge port, means defining a chamber having a bottom opening, a guide cylinder mounted on said means communicating with said discharge port and with said chamber, a fill tube mounted in and guided by said cylinder for reciprocation through said chamber between upper and lower positions, laterally opening upper and lower ports formed in the tube and adjacent opposite ends thereof, said upper port being disposed for alignment with said discharge port when said tube occupies its lower position, whereby liquid will flow from said container, through said upper port, tube and lower port when said tube occupies its lower position, a valve mounted on the lower end of said tube and disposed to close the chamber bottom opening when said tube occupies its upper position, a pneumatic reciprocating motor connected to reciprocate said tube, and manual air means for controlling said motor.

9. A can filling mechanism comprising a base, a can mouth seal fixedly disposed above the base, a can platform supported on said base for vertical reciprocation with respect thereto, means for raising the platform to engage the seal and can mouth, a vent communicating with the can through said seal, a fill tube reciprocably mounted above said platform for insertion into and withdrawal from said can within said seal, means for lowering said tube into said can, said tube having a discharge port adjacent its lower end and means for passing liquid through said tube for filling the can through said port to minimize aeration and foaming of the liquid as it flows into the can.

10. A can filling mechanism comprising a base, a can mouth seal fixedly disposed above the base, a can platform supported on said base for vertical reciprocation with respect thereto, means for raising the platform to engage the seal and can mouth, a vent communicating with the can through said seal, a fill tube reciprocably mounted above said platform for insertion into and withdrawal from said can within said seal, means for lowering said tube into said can, said tube having a discharge port adjacent its lower end and means for passing liquid through said tube for filling the can through said port to minimize aeration and foaming of the liquid as is flows into the can, and a chamber disposed adjacent the seal and in communication with the can to receive excess fluid as the can is filled, said chamber serving to discharge fluid into said can as the tube is withdrawn to compensate for the displacement of the tube so as to insure a full can.

11. A can filling mechanism, comprising a base, a can mouth seal fixedly disposed above the base, a can platform supported on said base for vertical reciprocation with respect thereto, means for raising the platform to engage the seal and can mouth, a vent communicating with the can through said seal, a fill tube reciprocably mounted above said platform drawal from said can within said seal, means for lowering said tube into said can, said tube having a discharge port adjacent its lower end and means for passing liquid through said tube for filling the can through said port to minimize aeration and foaming of the liquid as it flows into the can, and a chamber disposed adjacent the seal and in communication with the can to receive excess fluid as the can is filled, said chamber serving to discharge fluid into said can as the tube is withdrawn to compensate for the displacement of the tube so as to insure a full can, and valve means mounted on said tube disposed to close said chamber when the tube is raised.

12. A can filler comprising a base, a can supporting platform, means mounting said platform on said base for vertical reciprocating motion, means for reciprocating said platform, a filler tube having a discharge end, means mounting said tube for vertical reciprocating motion and means for reciprocating said tube, a liquid container, means connecting said container for supplying liquid to said tube and means operable by the tube for starting and stopping the flow of liquid from the container to the tube and means disposed adjacent the discharge end of the tube for stopping the flow of liquid from the tube.

13. A can filler comprising a base, a can supporting platform, means mounting said platform on said base for vertical reciprocating motion, a reciprocating motor and manual control means for reciprocating said platform, a fill tube, means mounting said tube for vertical reciprocating motion, a reciprocating motor and manual control means for reciprocating said tube, a liquid container, means connecting said container for supplying liquid to said tube, means for controlling the flow of liquid through the tube, an interlock mechanism comprising means for preventing the operation of said tube reciprocating control until said platform control means is actuated to raise the platform.

14. A can filler comprising a base, a can supporting platform, means mounting said platform on said base for vertical reciprocating motion, a reciprocating motor and manual control means for reciprocating said platform, a fill tube, means mounting said tube for vertical reciprocating motion, a reciprocating motor and manual control means for reciprocating said tube, a liquid container, means connecting said container for supplying liquid to said tube, means for controlling the flow of liquid through the tube, preventing the operation of said tube reciprocating control until said platform control means is actuated to raise the platform, and mechanism including additional means for preventing operation of said platform reciprocating means to lower it until said tube control means has been actuated to raise the tube.

15. A can filler comprising a can platform, means in-.

rods, said first rod being connected to said first valve formovement in a first direction as the valve moves to the platform raising direction as the for insertion into and with-- an interlock mechanism comprising means forposition, said second rod being con-- nected to said second valve so as to move in said firstvalve moves to the tube lowering position, a transverse notch in said first rod, a latch lever,

16. They structure defined incl'ai'm 15. wherein. said arm.

passes over said lever as the. secondflrod is. actuated. in sai'dl first direction. whereby saidsdog is held engaged with said notch and said first valve. is prevented. from moving to platform lowering position until said second valve has been moved to tube raising position.

References. Cited in the 'fil'e oi this; patent UNITED STATES-PATENTS 769,244' Allardice Sept. 6, 1904 979,745 .Champ Dec. 27, 1.910 141,240 .I-"e'enn June 1', 19-15 1,187,003. .Metca'lf et.al.. June 13, 1916 2,1.62;,404 Kerr June 13, 1939 2,512,966 Quam June. 27, 1950 2,652,965 McGihon Sept. 22, 1950 

